Improvement in combs



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

LEONOE PICOT, OF I'IOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBS,

.To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEoNoE Proo'r, of Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combs 5 and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

It is well known that combs, especially dressing-combs, made of horn, rubber, or other like material, are liable to break when used unless strengthened in some way. The usual manner in which it has been attempted to remedy this defect is by applying' a metal casing or brace to the back or sides of the comb, such metal brace being held in place by having its sides secured in grooves formed in the sides of the comb. This method of securing the metal casing is, however, open to many objections. The comb is weakened by cutting the grooves in its sides, and the casing itself is liable to become loose or unbent, and con sequently to come oif. i

rlhe object of my invention is to strengthen and brace the back and sides of a comb in such manner as to obviate the objections just mentioned, and it consists in inserting in a groov'e formed in the top of the comb a T- shaped piece of metal, which, whether of such dimensions as only to cover the top of the comb, or large enough to lap over the sides of the same, will form a complete and effectual brace or strengthening device for preventing the breaking of the comb.

To enable others to understand and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe it by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l represents a side View of a comb provided with a metal brace which only covers the top ofthe comb, not being of sufficient size to extend over the sides. Fig. 3 is a trans verse section of the same.

In the top of the comb a groove, c, of suitable size is made to receive the tongue of the metal brace. This brace, as shown in the drawings, is T-shaped, the longue, being inserted in the groove c, iitting tightly therein, and held in place either with or without the aid of rivets, cement, or other means usually employed for this or like purposes. The groove c is of such depth that when the tongue c is fitted therein the upper strip b, which is perpendicular to the tongue, shall come in contact with and fit closely over the top of the comb throughout its whole length, while its width is not suicient to allow it to lap over the sides of the comb. l

In Figs. 2 and 4=-I have shown another form of the brace. The tongue a lits in the groove c, as before, but the top piece, b, is increased in width, so as to form on each side lapping pieces d, which are bent over and pressed against the opposite sides of the comb, thus further strengthening it.

It will be readily seen that this method of adapting a metallic back or brace to a comb possesses many advantages. rlhe formation of the groove in the top does not in any material degree impair ihe strength of the comb, while it renders easy the work of tting and securing the brace on the comb. The grooves in the sides of the comb, which must necessa- .rily weaken it considerably, are done away with, and the brace may be held in place, without the use of rivets or cement, more firmly and securely than has heretofore been done.

The brace, it' desired, can be so constructed that the top piece, b, and side pieces, d, shall lap or close over the ends of the comb, and it may be made of any suitable material, such as brass, German silver, steel, tin, Src.

Having thus described my invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. Strengthening the back andv sides of a comb by forming in the top of said comb a groove, and placing therein and upon said back a metallic brace, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a comb to and in the top of which a T-sha-ped brace of niet-al or other suitable material for strengthening the same is fitted and held, substantially as herein described and set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed mynaine to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

LEONGE PICOT. Witnesses R. A. FIsHER, J. MORGAN. 

